Affection Rooted Between Us
by Ly Merrick
Summary: After Cordelia ascends to Supremacy, and the council is established, she can afford to schedule a little vacation for herself. Kyle, Zoe, Misty, and Queenie come along, shenanigans ensue, but it's during this time period that something new ignites, or maybe rather comes to attention.


**Pairing:** Cordelia/Misty  
**Synopsis:** After Cordelia ascends to Supremacy, and the council is established, she can afford to schedule a little vacation for herself. Kyle, Zoe, Misty, and Queenie come along, shenanigans ensue, but it's during this time period that something new ignites, or maybe rather comes to attention.  
**Author's Note:** This prompt has been waiting in my ask box for a while. Essentially it was requested to write a one-shot where Cordelia's physical attraction and emotional attraction to Misty starts to drive her a little crazy. I didn't want to go the usual route, the way I've gone with other fics, so I thought I'd challenge myself by starting the story in a new situation – essentially removing the witches from the witch house. They definitely deserve to be normal human beings once in a while, right? Also, there is not an established relationship between Cordelia & Misty initially.

###

ONE

**OUT OF THE WITCH HOUSE**

"_**She's really not my kind of girl — most of them have tattoos or nose rings — but there's something about her smile. She smiles like she's in love with whoever she's looking at. She smiled at me a few months ago. I've been trying to get her to do it again ever since." – Jaye Murray, Bottled Up**_

Cordelia sometimes felt a pang of insecurity when she took off her sunglasses, although she knew that since her Supremacy she had radiant health; there was no visible damage from the period of time where acid scars accentuated her blindness, her marred eyes. She would sometimes touch the expanse of skin just beneath her eye as if checking to see that her skin was still unscarred.

This was not a conscious act of vanity; she didn't like to think herself a vain person. It just meant that when she felt most insecure, she wanted to be sure that any damage she had suffered from the difficult stretch of time before her Ascension was not visible. Even now, as she put her sunglasses on out of necessity, there was a familiar mask of anonymity in the sunglasses.

Directly after her rise and the visibility of the Coven, the council settled, Cordelia had begun to feel a sense of normalcy make its way into her life. It was almost entirely foreign. So when she'd settled in a week earlier to look at flight bookings on Orbitz, she felt like someone who had been pulled from an entirely primitive society. She was a modern woman, but when you were also a modern _witch _technology and society in general tended to move at a faster pace than one would expect.

She touched the rim of her sunglasses as her toes sunk into hot sand, ensuring the shades were secured for the moment as she watched her trusted council: Zoe, Queenie, Misty – and Kyle, who had come along with Zoe. They were all trotting happily to greet the oncoming waves from the ocean, Cordelia only slightly removed since she strolled a little more leisurely down to the water. A vacation to the Keys had been an impulse decision, but a much-needed one. Cordelia had forgotten what it meant to be an average person. She imagined that they too had forgotten – Kyle was tripping his way into a wave and Zoe was diving into the water after him. Queenie was laying her blanket down onto the sand and holding the rim of her hat. Misty left a trail of loose fabric and the chime of bangles as she ventured near the water. She was sure Misty had never seen the ocean before, the way she'd looked back at Cordelia and given her a wonder-filled smile.

"Come on, Miss Cordelia!" Golden curls fluttered in the breeze as Misty motioned to the Supreme.

Cordelia gave a coy smile, "Soon. Let me get everything settled in –" and so she did, arranging their towels and blankets appropriately near Queenie, who was already laying in the shade. Cordelia checked the cooler and discarded everything but her hat and the slim bit of transparent cloth around her waist (she was wearing a two piece but she wasn't nearly so used to being this exposed), heading down toward the water where the others were gathered.

Far off shore, Kyle and Zoe were tangled together like sleeping otters, drawing a smile from Cordelia. She felt the ocean water lap up against her ankles a moment later, distracted by it until she felt slender fingers at her elbow. Misty had discarded her shawl and hat nearby, and was grinning widely down at Cordelia; the Cajun had a smile that made you feel as if you were one of the most significant people in the universe. Her light eyes glinted in the sun – "Gonna get in the water, Miss Cordelia?"

"Oh, I don't know," Cordelia folded her arms around her stomach, feeling suddenly exposed next to Misty (who wore a simple black one-piece bathing suit), "I'm always a little nervous about going too far out," her tone was apologetic, but she felt a gentle and insistent hand reach to her waist. She almost withdrew, not expecting to feel nimble fingers grazing her hip as Misty unknotted Cordelia's cover-up.

"I'll keep you safe, 'Delia, don't you worry about that," Misty lapsed into the informal nickname – a rare occasion since the girl seemed to have such a significant sense of respect for her superior. She took the thin fabric in her arms and dropped it near her own things, then returning with an extended palm. "Come on," she nodded her head toward the lapping waves.

Cordelia felt a magnetic sort of pull in the way Misty's eyes glinted in her direction. It was of her own accord that she reached forward and let Misty knot their fingers together and begin pulling her into deeper water. They waded out waist-deep, but the further they got, the more nervous Cordelia became.

Misty seemed to sense this, and squeezed Cordelia's hand. "Trust me, Miss Cordelia. I'm not gonna let a thing happen to you," she had stalled in their trek to deeper waters, her gaze penetrating Cordelia's fear.

Cordelia nodded, letting go of Misty's hand and quickly slipping her arm in Misty's, holding on tightly to the taller blonde's wrist.

"I bet the moon looks super nice here at night –" Zoe called from nearby, hair dripping wet on her shoulders as she and Kyle swam nearer to Misty and Cordelia.

"Can we come down here tonight?" Kyle inquired as they came closer, wiping sea water from his mouth.

"I suppose we can," Cordelia conceded softly. "I just don't think swimming at night would be a good idea."

"No, we can sit on the beach 'n have some drinks, maybe like a bonfire?" Misty suggested, her voice warm and just above Cordelia's shoulder.

Cordelia saw the eager expressions, lingering the longest on Misty's green gaze. She chewed on her bottom lip thoughtfully, then nodded carefully. She adjusted her grip on Misty's arm, glad for the security she felt as the waves rocked against them. "It might be nice. We can have a bonfire tonight," she relented with a small grin.

Misty gave an approving grin and bumped fists with Kyle before the boy grabbed his girlfriend around the waist and tugged her further out. This left Misty and Cordelia alone once again, and just when Cordelia felt a little safe, she realized Misty was disengaging.

The Cajun witch gave a large grin and swam back a little. "Gotta trust me," she assured, seeming to recognize Cordelia's hesitance to be alone in the ocean's grasp. The Supreme watched as Misty tied her hair back (_how lovely, _she thought, realizing she'd never seen Misty's hair tied back) and then disappeared under the waves, a kick of her foot the only sign of her retreat.

She tried to keep track of where Misty swam, but it was a little difficult to do so. She felt a mixture of concern for herself and for Misty; the last thing she wanted was for one of her council members to drown or get swept too far from shore.

A few moments later, Misty's head popped from a nearby wave and she swam effortlessly to Cordelia, wiping salt water from her eyes. "I can hear when you worry, Miss Cordelia, but really, we're safe as a pig in a pen out here."

Cordelia gave a small, likely unconvincing smile.

Misty only laughed at the hesitation Cordelia tried to hide. Her face lit up and Cordelia was momentarily struck by the fact that she was very glad to be able to witness such things.

"I've never been a strong swimmer," the older witch said by way of explanation. She felt a small shock as fingertips grazed her stomach and came to rest on her waist.

"Wanna learn?"

"I'm – not sure it's the best place to learn –"

"I've never been to the ocean neither, Miss Cordelia. Never been in water this deep."

Cordelia often found herself in awe at the way Misty seemed to be unabashedly brave. She was tender and compassionate, but when life demanded it of her she was unwavering and courageous. "And yet you'd swim this far away from shore?"

"Way I figure," Misty was gently coaxing Cordelia further from shore, holding her by the hands and pulling gently enough to urge the older woman, "It's no fun bein' in the ocean if you're not willin' to get swept up by it. Understand?"

Cordelia nodded, glancing down at the water and very aware of the fact that she'd soon have to tread. "I'm scared, Misty. I'm not certain I should be out this far."

Misty's grip loosened on Cordelia's hands only for a moment. The older woman felt disoriented by being afloat on her own until she realized that Misty had begun to swim closer, her arms slipping around Cordelia's waist.

Ignoring the deep blush on her cheeks (it had been a while since she'd experienced any touch so lively or gentle), she held on gently to Misty's forearms and concentrated on treading water.

"You good?"

Cordelia nodded nervously, trembling only a little. The ocean's gentle push and pull lulled Cordelia into a sense of relative safety, although it helped that Misty's grip was firm and her warmth was near enough in the water.

"The teacher becomes the student," Misty grinned, her voice drawling slightly. If Cordelia's hands had been free, she probably would've given Misty a gentle smack on her arm for joking at a time like this.

###

"Too bad we didn't bring anything to smoke over the fire," Queenie reminisced.

"Like a corrupt former Supreme?"

Even Cordelia had to laugh at that one, even though Zoe had smacked Kyle in the back of the head for that comment.

"S'mores, idiot," Misty teased in a chime of laughter. She sat on the log next to Cordelia, and it was strange how it felt natural to sit next to Misty as opposed to anyone else. There was a natural trust that had been founded this afternoon in the water, and it had only added to the connection she felt to Misty.

"Right, those too," Kyle grinned, flinching away from a handful of sand as Misty reached down and tossed some toward him.

The group fell into easy conversation, and though Cordelia found herself quiet more than the others, she wished she had a way to express how content she felt right now. She genuinely felt no worries or concerns, and realized that possibly the best choice she'd made in the last few months was scheduling this vacation.

It was, however, a little difficult to ignore the fact that her eyes were continuously drawn to Misty; the taller blonde would occasionally bump Cordelia's shoulder or look over at a key moment and grin, eyes shining even in the moonlight, illuminated by some secret joy Misty seemed to exude.

Cordelia took a swig of a liquor Kyle offered her before she shifted off the log and sat in the sand, knees to her chest. She felt warmth scoot closer – Misty had moved closer toward Cordelia and was resting her thigh just near Cordelia's shoulder, picking apart sunflower seeds and popping them one by one into her mouth, more invested in the conversation than her relative position to Cordelia.

There was a brief moment where Cordelia wondered – was she attracted to Misty? She had never excluded women from the spectrum of individuals she was attracted to, but she had never been attracted to anyone who was technically a few years her junior. Was it inappropriate to be attracted to the younger witch?

In her musing, she felt a gaze on her and saw the questioning angle of Misty's eyebrows. Cordelia only gave a responding smile and tried to ignore the way Misty's eyes made her heart stammer against her ribcage whenever her focus was completely on Cordelia.

The night carried on in a similar fashion, and at some point the group began to separate a little – Kyle had jumped piggy-back on Queenie and Zoe was chasing after them, once again leaving Misty and Cordelia alone.

"I'm going to go near the water," Cordelia informed Misty gently. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Love to!" Misty dusted her hands off and tied her shawl around her waist, following after in relative silence.

Cordelia watched the moonlit waves as she neared them. "The ocean is so stunning," she mused quietly. Where she expected Misty to say something equally wistful, she was greeted with silence. She glanced beside her and found Misty watching her thoughtfully.

"Miss Cordelia, I really wanna be your friend," the admission was soft. "I know maybe it's not – appropriate 'n all that, but I think you and I are like – a match, you know? Like some species of plants, you'll never find one growin' without the other somewhere nearby."

It was touching to hear someone speak so earnestly about wanting a bond with Cordelia. The Supreme was smiling quietly and feeling suddenly a little bit bashful, but she mustered her most brave, semi-authoritative posturing, and touched Misty's arm, "I'd love that," she responded quietly. "I'd be honored, Misty," it was a genuine answer, because Misty was often compassion and love personified. To be valued by a person like that was – well, flattering.

Misty's shoulders seemed to sag with relief, "Oh, good. I've been tryin' to figure out how exactly to ask you that. I know it's silly, askin' someone to be your friend and worryin' about it but it's – I don't know, different with you."

Cordelia chewed on her bottom lip a little as she glanced again at the babbling Cajun, the corner of her lip quirked in amusement. "You don't ever have to worry about asking me anything." It was her way of saying – without saying – that the feeling was mutual. There was most certainly a shared magnetism; it wasn't one-sided in any sense of the word.

She was about to break the silence, say anything, but her world-view was suddenly turned topsy-turvy as Kyle all but tackled her and threw her over his shoulder. Cordelia cried out in surprise and struggled a little amidst her own laughter, catching a glimpse of a highly amused Misty chasing after them, eyes glinting as she reached a hand out to Cordelia, as if to rescue her from the captor.

The night passed on like this – both calm and joyful as they all momentarily forgot their responsibilities and their identities as outcasts, witches, condemned.

###

TWO 

**DREAMING IN COLOR**

"**Still, as messed-up as it was, I really liked the feel of her bare arms and the smell of her hair. I got mad at myself right away and told myself I wasn't one of those guys, told myself it was just the hit to the head that was making me think that way." – Amanda Lance, **_**Outlaw**_

A couple weeks had passed since their momentary vacation, and routine had settled back into Cordelia's framework. She spent a few hours a day in her office pouring over applications, legal papers for renting apartments for Academy students, and later in the afternoon Misty would rouse her from her work by dropping off specially made tea.

During her off-time, she found herself more frequently sitting in Misty's company on the front porch, having conversations about anything and everything. They were, at most times, inseparable. Misty was a veritable font of folk knowledge, fascinating Cordelia by recounting tales she'd been told as a child – about New Orleans, about the history of the place, about the native animal species in her beloved swamp.

Cordelia loved listening to Misty talk. It was the thing she most looked forward to when she woke up in the morning, and late at night when they would have a last cup of tea together on the front porch and listen to the cicadas sing. Sometimes Cordelia would chime in with something she knew, or a funny tale from her own childhood, but more often than not she found herself more apt to listen than to speak. She had always been this way, but she had a particular attentiveness to Misty's words as they charmed her.

The friendship had grown organically since the vacation and the unusual spark that had lit somewhere in the sand between them. It turned out that it was the thing Cordelia had been missing, that key to contentment. She had been missing a friendship, one without condition. She enjoyed the way that Misty accepted everything about her – every shortcoming, every clumsy moment, the way that sometimes Cordelia just _didn't _want to talk. Misty reacted to Cordelia naturally, and somehow their energies entwined like two shades. There was no need to communicate verbally sometimes.

There were rare moments when Cordelia would feel particularly frustrated and as if summoned, she'd hear Misty's tentative knock at the door and the Cajun would slip in her office and set a mug of tea down. On lucky days, Misty would trail her hands over Cordelia's arms as Cordelia stood to greet her, or wrap her arms tightly around Cordelia and murmur words of encouragement.

"I'm not sure I could live without you, Misty," Cordelia admitted one night – it was past midnight and they had spent the last hour on the porch together in relative silence.

"I mean, you don't gotta – 'm not goin' anywhere."

"I know. I just – I guess I'm thinking aloud."

"Think away," Misty sipped at the steaming mug in her hand, smiling in the way that made the corners of her eyes wrinkle a little – laugh lines.

"I don't tell you enough how much I appreciate your friendship. It's easy – or I suppose, it's been easy in the past to let myself feel isolated and alone. The Academy was nearly empty until recently, before the girls began to arrive and hell began to break loose. The only friend I'd really had was Auntie Myrtle, and she was more of a mother figure, really." Cordelia shrugged a shoulder, glanced beside her where Misty was toying with her shawl and rocking back and forth a little on the chair, one boot hanging loosely while the other rested against the railing, pushing in and out to continue the rocking motion. Misty's expression wasn't solemn, but it could've been described as quiet, perhaps. She rested her head against the back of her chair and let her eyes linger on Cordelia's, holding Cordelia captive for a moment. "I suppose I just need you to know how important you are to me. How – special this friendship has been for me."

Misty reached across the miniature table that separated their chairs and Cordelia felt Misty's hand delicately trace her wrist, coaxing it so that she could capture the Supreme's hand in her own. They had moments like this – brief moments of physical contact that, strangely enough, caused Cordelia to forget what she was saying.

Their hands remained like this for a moment, long enough for Cordelia to know that she was feeling fluttering of a decidedly more-than-friendly nature. She gently removed her hand from Misty's and wrapped both around her mug of tea, finishing it quietly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Misty's boot pressed against the railing and resume the gentle pushing that propelled her rocking chair.

"You know, I love you, 'Delia," Misty murmured after a long bout of silence. "You're my best friend. Best I've ever had."

Cordelia glanced over, caught a meaningful gaze – those eyes sometimes seemed to settle somewhere in the middle of her heart and pry it open, as if Misty were gradually making room for herself there. "You're mine, too," Cordelia gave a delicate smile.

She'd never heard Misty say 'I love you' before, not once, and though the sentimentality was Platonic, it still made Cordelia's mouth go dry.

###

Misty had returned home one weekend from the swamp decidedly much more quiet than usual. When Cordelia had asked what may have been upsetting the Cajun witch, Misty had declined to answer and said simply, "I'm just gonna go sit in a hot bath a while, 'kay Miss Cordelia?"

That was a few hours ago, and Cordelia had finished her duties for the night; naturally, she felt drawn to Misty anyway because this was usually the time of night where they sat outside together in the thick Louisiana heat. The Supreme padded quietly up the stairs and didn't bother knocking on Misty's door – they had established a kind of friendly intimacy that came with extraordinarily close friendships.

Cordelia found Misty's bathroom door slightly ajar, and as an afterthought Cordelia returned to the bedroom door and locked it, lest someone invade Misty's privacy. She, however, felt entitled and knocked before gently pushing the door open, eyes cast respectfully aside. "Misty?"

"'m fine, 'Delia." However, the sniffle Misty gave echoed on the tile of the bathroom wall.

"Clearly not," Cordelia spoke gently, her eyes flickering over to the surface of the water to ensure that there were bubbles enough to keep Misty from feeling embarrassed, or Cordelia from feeling – well, to keep the situation appropriate. Indeed, the bubbles rose to Misty's shoulders and that beloved, golden hair was half-wet, as only Misty's knees and shoulders were above water. "What's wrong? What happened this weekend?"

Misty's eyes were a little red, and she gave a tearful smile, "One of my gators – I found it dead. She was real old, so I mean I shoulda known eventually –" she sniffled, met Cordelia's eyes bravely with tears in them. "I feel bad that I wasn't there when she died."

Cordelia found herself kneeling beside the tub, her hand soothing a trail over Misty's slightly-damp hair, "You couldn't have known," she wished she could understand that spark of compassion that made someone cry over a dangerous predator, but she couldn't. She could, however, understand loss. She'd experienced enough of that. Her hand dropped to Misty's naked shoulders (nevermind what lay beneath the bubbles) and her thumb trailed delicately there for a moment. (It was extraordinarily hard not to blush, even though being in this room with Misty while she was naked felt as natural an extension of their bond as anything else.)

Misty closed her eyes briefly, a hand emerging from the water and covering Cordelia's tightly; the Supreme didn't mind the water that dripped down her wrist, because she just wanted Misty to be okay. She tangled their fingers together momentarily.

"Is there anything I can do?"

Misty shook her head. "I guess not. Just what your doin' now, if that's okay? I know I'm not real decent right now but –"

"I'm here now," Cordelia spoke gently and let their hands remain clutched together for a moment. When Misty fell quiet again, the distress visibly melting from her face, Cordelia shifted so she was sitting with her back against the wall, facing Misty. "You can tell me about her, if you want."

So Misty did – though she lay covered in bubbles, the dampness of her skin was only semi-distracting. Misty told her all about the gator who had died, from the time it was a little non-predator up until Misty gave it a proper goodbye, sending it down the swamp and only keeping a single tooth. She'd nodded toward the sink, where Cordelia saw knotted leather and a tooth secured to the makeshift necklace.

"I figure, maybe if I keep part of her with me, I won't feel so bad about not bein' there when she died."

Cordelia nodded, giving the taller blonde an encouraging smile. "You're possibly the kindest person I could ever have hoped to meet, Misty," her voice was full of affection. She watched Misty's hand re-emerge from the bubbles and flick a few in her direction.

"You're just sayin' that to make me feel better."

"You know me better than that," Cordelia chided softly, giving Misty a half-smile as their eyes found one another and lingered there.

"Guess I do," Misty finished, her voice pitching low in that way that sometimes made Cordelia's heart stammer. "I'm getting' pruny – guess I should get out," she excused, holding up her thumb to show Cordelia.

Cordelia took this as a sign to let Misty get dressed, and stood. She passed by Misty, tracing a hand near the tub as she did so, but was surprised to feel a little tug at her sweater.

"Hey," Misty spoke gently, eyes cast upward (for once) at Cordelia. "Thank you, for checkin' on me. Don't go anywhere, okay? I'm just gonna get dressed but I wanna sit outside like we always do."

"You never have to thank me," Cordelia dismissed, hand on the door. "Just clean every room in the house and we'll be even," she teased playfully, leaving the bathroom as Misty's laughter bubbled from the space beneath the door.

Cordelia was standing near the window as Misty emerged from the bathroom, toweling off her wild curls.

"I think it's a little hot out there tonight," Cordelia mused, expecting an answer from a little further away but instead feeling Misty slip in the space between Cordelia and the wall, watching the Cajun lean there and continue toweling off the tips of her hair.

"When isn't it?"

Around Misty's neck dangled the gator tooth necklace, and Cordelia's hand hesitated in the air before she reached between them, running her fingertips over the smooth surface of the tooth, touching the sharp tip. She barely noticed the lack of space between them, particularly when Misty fell quiet and Cordelia found an intense look in those familiar eyes. "I just – I think it's wonderful you care so much about animals – and people, I suppose, that most don't even notice or care for."

Misty's smile was sort of languid and amused. "Come on, silly, let's go have some iced tea and sit on the front porch like a coupl'a hicks."

Cordelia laughed and followed Misty down the stairs a few moments later, trying to ignore the fact that her breath came a little more labored after such an intense gaze had been focused on her.

This time, they sat shoulder to shoulder on the steps leading up the front porch, listening to the cicadas humming in the distance. Despite the ample space, they sat leaning against one another, knees and thighs leaning inward toward one another as if for support. Misty was toying with Cordelia's sleeve as Cordelia gazed up at the stars.

"You know, when I was blind, I remember thinking that the one thing I wanted to see was the sky. I missed looking at the sky, the moon and the way it refracts in glass windows," Cordelia murmured softly between them.

"When you first met me, what was your impression?"

"I felt your pain, the pain of when you were burned, tortured," it was not a pleasant memory. "Somewhere in there, though, I remember feeling like you were somebody vastly important."

"Cause you thought I was the Supreme?"

"At first," Cordelia glanced beside her, the space between her gaze and Misty's close enough that they could've leaned forward just a little and rested their foreheads together. Her dark gaze dropped to Misty's hands, and she felt the younger witch toy with her fingertips and wrists. "And then I realized that I felt you differently than the others. There was always a disconnect between myself and the others – like they were stretched too far away on the spider's web, but when I realized that it wasn't like that with you –" Cordelia broke off briefly, trying to figure out how to best explain it – "it was as if I was on the same thread as you. When you moved, I felt the vibrations. When you looked, I felt the weight of your gaze."

Misty was silent for a long moment, but when Cordelia found the courage the meet that familiar gaze, she found herself pleasantly surprised by an affectionate smile. "Y'know, sometimes you're a lot like a poet. When it really matters anyway."

Cordelia gave a small laugh, glanced down at their knotted hands. "I suppose I can be sometimes."

Beside her, she felt Misty shift and their hands untangle – Misty's arms slipped around Cordelia and it was easy to fall into that embrace. It could've been 100 degrees but Cordelia wouldn't have noticed. She pressed herself close, holding onto Misty tightly and burying her face somewhere near Misty's neck; she smelled of earth that had warmed in the afternoon sun, freshly grown flowers. She languished in the embrace, felt her breath come easier whenever Misty had spontaneously embraced her.

"I meant what I said – " Misty spoke softly near Cordelia's ear, those feminine fingers tangling in Cordelia's hair and the warmth of Misty's mouth near her earlobe. "I love you," she all but whispered, and Cordelia's chest, lungs, all tightened as if she'd forgotten to breathe.

No one had ever said this to Cordelia the way Misty did. It was as if they were the only words of any importance; every other utterance paled in comparison. Her fingers had tightened their grip on Misty's clothing and she felt Misty bury her head gently near Cordelia's throat, the Cajun's fingers still knotted in Cordelia's hair.

They breathed one another in, and absentmindedly Cordelia wondered if there always needed to be solid definitions for friendships, relationships. She wondered if perhaps affection was far more fluid.

Her heart ached in a desperate sort of way as she closed her eyes. "I love you," Cordelia spoke gently. She didn't know if this was an admission of something more than Platonic affection. She only knew that these three words were the only ones she could fit her mouth around, the only ones that could even come close to the affection she felt, the deep desire to connect with Misty.

She heard gentle, throaty laughter near her ear; she didn't need to see Misty right now to know that the wild-haired flower child was smiling.

###

THREE

**EVERYTHING ELSE**

"**Appetite knows what it craves, without cerebral embellishment. It tends not to waste any time laying hold of its tools. That was the thing I had recognised here: appetite. I recognised it precisely because, in a context like this, it was so unfamiliar. It had forced me to rule out everything else." – Susan Choi, **_**My Education**_

Cordelia had brought Misty a nightly mug of tea and was deep in the midst of conversation with the blonde when she realized that these tub-side conversations had also become a habit. It should've felt different somehow, but it didn't. It seemed the most natural progression of their relationship possible.

It was late, however, and Cordelia had admittedly drank a couple glasses of wine in place of her usual. She felt a little more light on her feet, and the candle-light danced nicely on Misty's face.

"'Delia," Misty laughed softly, "whenever you drink wine you look at me like there's somethin' magical."

Cordelia gave a slow grin, "Something like that." There were sometimes that they – well, they'd begun to flirt with one another. At first it had started playfully and innocent enough, but times like right now when Cordelia was almost intentionally eye-fucking Misty over the rim of her glass of wine – that's when the border between friendship and more-than-friendship seemed to blur for Cordelia.

She also delighted in the way Misty always seemed speechless at Cordelia's flirtation. Her cheeks would flush a little and she'd give a hesitant grin. "Miss Cordelia, are you comin' on to me right now or is that the wine?"

"I'm not sure," Cordelia answered honestly. The eye contact between them didn't break, however far the conversation traveled.

The Supreme knew that the girls had been speaking in curiosity about the relationship between herself and Misty. After all, they were seldom seen apart and almost never seen at night. At first Cordelia had balked at the suggestion – out of pure professionalism – but their friendship had grown so intense and their bond so steadfast that it seemed more natural than not for their relationship to develop into a romantic one.

Cordelia scooted forward so that her shoulder was nearly aligned with Misty's, her glass of wine set beside the tub with a metallic _clink. _"Would that bother you?"

There was not a single sign of hesitation or conflict. "I think when you love someone so much –" Misty spoke quietly by way of response, "it's only natural."

Cordelia was surprised at the sentimental response, her expression softening as her fingers met with Misty's damp ones, semi-tangled together on the edge of the tub. "So if I were to tell you –" Cordelia's eyes dipped to the lips she had often thought about, sometimes dreamed about, then returned to a pair of searching green eyes, "that I was definitely coming on to you, you wouldn't mind?"

"'Delia," Misty leaned forward, closer, just enough for Cordelia's heart to start racing. "You're the most amazin' and probably the sexiest woman I've ever known," Misty reached forward, her finger tracing a wet trail from Cordelia's throat to the little dip between her collarbone, "how's that for an answer?"

Cordelia nodded dumbly, sucking in her bottom lip to keep herself from lunging forward. Her chest was heaving ever so slightly, particularly as she felt Misty's palm cup the back of her neck and coax her gently closer.

Desire for her constant companion overwhelmed her instantly. She hadn't really expected it, at least not so powerfully, even as their friendship had developed into an impossibly close one. And yet here she was – her chest, her lower-belly burning with desire as Misty hovered her lips over Cordelia's.

"If I kiss you, it wouldn't bother you none, right?" Misty's whisper was thick and low, her bottom lip grazing Cordelia's.

Cordelia whimpered. There was no coherence because she was caught in Misty's thrall.

Water splashed as Misty leaned forward completely, her skin rubbing on the cold tile of the tub as their lips finally, achingly collided with one another.

###

Somewhere between the time Misty had gotten out of the tub and now, Cordelia had completely sobered up – from the alcohol at least. Her thighs were perched around Misty's head and the Cajun's grip was bruising the firm flesh there in the best sort of way.

Cordelia's hips were writhing against Misty's mouth and Cordelia had lost count of the hours they'd been making love to one another. She'd expected to be completely spent and then suddenly Misty's mouth would be everywhere again and Cordelia was hopelessly tangled in a state of devouring lust.

"J-j-_ust, there – don't _–" Cordelia began to stammer, incoherent as her lover's tongue circled and insisted, "_Please – _don't stop, Misty –" the plea was surprisingly coherent in that instant and Cordelia's vision went completely white, her throat letting out a ragged and vulgar moan.

When Misty finally emerged from the covers, she crushed their mouths together in a passionate and intimate kiss. "I love you – Jesus, 'Delia, I love you."

Cordelia nodded, feeling emotionally charged tears and the ghosts of arousal slip from her eyes as she leaned up, arm wrapping tightly around Misty's shoulders and pulling her into a loving kiss. Their lips slowed languidly over one another, searched, teased and tantalized. "Stuck with me now," Cordelia gasped against Misty's mouth.

"Damn the luck," Misty grinned into their next kiss – one that promised forever and always, just long enough to get to know one another.


End file.
